Pull-on device for boots or shoes.



E. G. BEAUMONT.

PULL-0N DEVICE FOR BOOTS 0R SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1913.

1,095,954, Patented May 5, 1914.

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" TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST o. BEAUMONT, 0E REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS, AssieNoE, BY MEsNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, or PATE-RSON, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PULL-ON DEVICE FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST G. BEAUMoNT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Revere, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pull-On Devices for Boots or Shoes, of which the following descrlption, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to pull-on devices for boots or shoes.

Boots or shoes as heretofore commonly constructed have been provided with a strap of a length sufficient to form a substantially large loop through which the thumb or a finger of the user may be passed to obtain a firm pull upon the boot or shoe. These Straps have heretofore projected a very considerable distance above the upper edge of the boot or shoe when new, and after being worn, are frequently bent down upon the outside of the boot or shoe, and in either instance they are unsightly.

The present invention has for its object to provide boots or shoes with a grasp-inclosing pull-0n device consisting, in the preferred embodiment thereof, of a single integral piece of material which may be cheaply manufactured from inexpensive stock and which will nevertheless be attractive in appearance.

Heretofore it has been proposed tov make a pull-on device composed of a strip of leather, cloth or other suitable material folded to form a short loop within which a filler is inserted. Such a device, while exceedingly eflicient, is neverthe less relatively expensive. It has also been proposed toprovide a pullon device of a single, solid piece of material, preferably leather, having an outer grain surface. Such a pull-on device is not, however, flexibly attached to the boot or shoe, as is the shoe-pull of my invention, in the preferred embodiment thereof, and its manufacture involves considerable waste or loss of material. In the practice of my inven tion, I secure the advantages of these devices and overcome the objections thereto,-

and obtain certain other advantages that will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a boot or shoe having one form of my im- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 16, 1913.

' a roughened coating; Fig. 7

Patented May 5, 1914. Serial No. 785,050.

proved pull-on device applied thereto; Fig 2 1s a rear elevation of the shoe shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4C is a side elevation of said form of pull-on device prior to the application of a coating thereto; Fig. 5 is a similar view but representing the pull-on device as coated; Fig. 6 represents a modified form of the invention wherein the pull-on'device is provided with shows in vertical section a still further modified form of the invention; and Figs. 8 and 9 show still further modified forms thereof.

Referring more particularly'to the drawing and first to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the shoe upper is represented at 1 and the lining thereof at 2 in Fig. 3. The lining and upper are secured together in any suitable manner, as for example by stitching them along their upper edges. The pull-on device is, in this type of my invention, composed of a single, integral, solid piece 3, preferably of leather, though it may be formed of any other suitable material. The said pull-on device is provided With an upper thickened end 4, constituting a grip portion and a lower relatively thin, flexible portion 5 which is I adapted to be flexibly attached to the boot or shoe. Preferably the pull-on device is wedge shaped in cross section as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 and preferably the said device is of right triangular form in cross section inasmuch as I am enabled readily to cut the material 'in such form without loss. This may be accomplished, in accordance with one embodiment of my invention, by cutting the leather or other material into a strip rectangular in cross section and of a width equaling the length of a single pullon device. I provide two strips which may be severed transversely into pieces of the desired width. The pull-on device may, however, be of other forms and be otherwise constructed within the scope of my invention.

Inasmuch as tosecure the best results the completed pull-on device is coated, as hereinafter fullyset forth, it is necessary,

employ material having a grain face, and therefore the device may be made from 'when making the device from leather, to

comparatively low grade leather stock. It may also be made from other materials, which in the absence of a coating, would or would not be acceptable.

The pull-on device may be suitably secured in any desired manner to the boot or shoe, but preferably the lower flexible end thereof is inserted between the upper 1 and lining 2, as indicated in Fig. 3 and is there secured by one or more lines of stitching 6. In this manner the pull-on device is *lexibly attached to the boot or shoe and therefore may be readily bent with respect thereto. The said pull-on device may, however, be secured to any desired partof the boot or shoe, as for example to the outer surface of the upper, either at or close to the top. or at a somewhat lower point, in which case the upper grip end thereof may not project above the upper edge of the shoe. Preferably, however, the pull-on device is flexibly attached at its lower end to the boot or shoe.

I provide the pull-on device with a suit able coating, indicated. at 7 in Fig. 5, which preferably is applied to the entire surface of the grip portion l l hile any suitable coating material may be used, I preferably employ celluloid. The application of a coat ing to the lower, flexible end of the pull-on device, while within the scope of my invention, is unnecessary and would add to the cost thereof, and moreover would interfere with the proper securing of the device to the shoe upper, particularly when stitching is employed for the purpose. Moreover, the employment of a coating such as celluloid would interfere with the flexibility of the lower end of the pull-on device.

The coating may be of any suitable coloring, as for example black or tan, so as to conform to the finish of the boot or shoe, and

if desired the coating may be roughened as indicated at 8 in Fig. 6, wherein I have represented inclined crossed corrugations which may be applied to both faces of the grip portion. Any other suitable roughening formation may, however, be employed.

By reason of the fact that I coat the pullon device, I am enabled to employ material therefor which otherwise would not have an acceptable face or surface. Moreover I have found in practice that the coating, particularly when of celluloid, actually strengthens the pullon device and so adds to the durability thereof, and that it presents such a smooth surface to the lower edge of the trousers that the latter do not catch thereon.

Instead of forming the pull-on device of a piece of material which is thicker at its grip end than at its attaching end, I may form the device of a single piece 9 of substantially uniform thickness throughout and sufficiently thin to be flexible, and may provide an effective grip at the upper end thereof by applying thereto a coating 10 of celluloid or other suitable material, as shown in Fig. 7. As there shown, the coating is applied in greater quantities to the upper end so as to form a suitable thickened grip portion which may be wedgeshaped in cross section, or of any other suitable formation.

In Fig. 8, I have shown still another form of my invention. Therein the pull-on device 11 is composed of a sin 'le integral piece of suitable material, such for example as leather, but which may be canvas, cloth or ther desirable material. The said device is inherently flexible, so that its lower end may be flexibly attached to the boot or shoe in any suitable manner, and preferably in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The material may be of uniform thicknesss throughout and the upper end thereof is folded or rolled upon itself as indicated at 12, so as to provide a thicker upper grip end. The upper portion of the device is then coated with suitable material, such for example as celluloid, thereby sealing or securing the folded or rolled over end in position. Preferably the coating is not applied to the lower portion of the device for reasons heretofore set forth.

In Fig. 9, I have shown still another form of my invention. The pull-on device therein represented consists of a strip 13 of some suitable material, such for example as leather, and which is preferably inherently flexible, so that the lower end thereof may be flexibly connected to the boot or shoe. At or adjacent the upper end thereof I apply or attach a grip piece 14 by means of a suitable coating of celluloid or other suitable material. The said grip piece may be formed of leather or other desirable material, and may be applied to either face of the strip 13. If desired, the upper end of the strip may be wrapped partially or wholly about the said grip piece, after which the coating is applied thereto.

In the forms of my invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, it will be observed that the coating serves not only as a coating, but also to maintain the members of the pull-011 device in pro-per relation to each other. That is to say, in that form of the invention shown in Fig. 8, the folded over end 12 is held in its folded relation by the coating, and in the form of my invention shown in Fig. 9 the applied member 14: is secured to the strip 13 by the coating.

It will be understood that my invention may be practised otherwise than as shown, and that it is not limited to those types thereof herein illustrated.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims.

1. As a new article of manufacture, a pull-on device for a boot or shoe, consistin of an integral, solid piece of materia adapted to be secured at one end to the upper of a boot or shoe and to project above the edge thereof, said device having a thin lower end portion for attachment to the shoe upper, and an upper end portion adapted to extend freely from the shoe, said latter portion having its thickness substantially increasing between the point of attachment tothe shoe and the upper end of the pull to provide an effective hand hold.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a pull-on device for a boot or shoe consisting of an integral, solid piece of leather having a lower relatively thin end adaptedto be flexibly attached to a boot or shoe, and an upper thickened end provided with a roughened coating of celluloid.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a pull-on device for a boot or shoe having a flexible, lower uncoated end and a coated upper end.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a pull-on device for a boot or shoe having a flexible lower uncoated end and a thickened coated upper end.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a pull-on device for a boot or shoe having a flexible lower uncoated end and an upper end provided with a coating of celluloid.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a pullon device for a boot or shoe consisting of an integral piece of material having a lower relatively thin uncoated end portion adapted to be flexibly attached to a boot or shoe, and an upper coated end portion constitutring a grip portion of greater thickness than the lower end portion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST C. BEAUMONT.

WVitnesses:

RUSSELL W. Sonnn, CLARENCE H. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, I). 0. 

